Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area is 3,452 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Dickinson County, 17 miles from Norway, a state wildlife management area by the DNR's map. 3,452 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 1,964 deer in Dickinson County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's state game area data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR reported deer harvest, 2022 to 2025.
State game and wildlife areasState forest and other DNR landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Genes Pond State Wildlife Management AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 3,452 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Dickinson County |
| Deer harvest unit | Dickinson County |
| Kind (DNR) | state wildlife management area |
| DNR region | Upper Peninsula |
| Open to general hunting | 3,452 acres (100%) |
| Nearest towns | Norway (17 mi), Iron Mountain (17 mi) and Quinnesec (18 mi) |
What are the rules on Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area: 3,452 acres open to general hunting.
How many deer are taken around Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area?
Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area lies in Dickinson County. Hunters reported 1,964 deer in Dickinson County in 2025, against 2,181 in 2024.
| County | Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dickinson County | 3,452 | 1,964 | 2,181 | 1,542 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the game area alone: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025).
How do you get to Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area?
Nearest towns: Norway (17 miles), Iron Mountain (17 miles), Quinnesec (18 miles) and Kingsford (20 miles).
What other public land is near Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Felch Mountain (flooding) State Wildlife Management Area: 714 acres, 1.8 miles away
- Ralph Grouse Enhanced Management System: 5,308 acres, 1.8 miles away
- Groveland Mine Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 6,243 acres, 5.3 miles away
- Hardwood Reservoir (north side) State Wildlife Management Area: 1,394 acres, 5.9 miles away
- Hancock Creek Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 652 acres, 9.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area
Counting Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area itself, 28,470 of the 39,911 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (71.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 24,266 |
| State game and wildlife areas | 4,164 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 40 |
Another 1,116 acres within 3 miles are Commercial Forest land: privately owned, but under state law (MCL 324.51113) the owner may not deny the public hunting and fishing unless the DNR or the legislature closes it.
Questions hunters ask
Where is Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area?
In Dickinson County, 17 miles from Norway.
How much of Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area is open to hunting?
3,452 acres are marked general hunting, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area?
28,470 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Genes Pond State Wildlife Management Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records. The closest other DNR area or park is Felch Mountain (flooding) State Wildlife Management Area (1.8 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: Michigan DNR wildlife property project areas.
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's land ownership records (state forest).
- Deer harvest: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025).
FilledTag is not part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.